Nashvillians prepare for freezing temperatures - WSMV Channel 4

The cold temperatures have many people looking for ways to keep warm.

Many people that Channel 4 News interviewed are surprised about the cold air in October.

People on Broadway are going inside the honky tonks, but a few blocks away, the Nashville Rescue Mission is the only place where many are finding warmth.

"On a normal night, we can house anywhere up to 800," said Ed Grimes, head chaplain with the Nashville Rescue Mission. "But on a night like this, we'll probably extend that a little bit. We'll probably have anywhere from 850 to 900."

Not everyone has a way to get to the rescue mission, so Grimes takes to the streets.

"It's just a quick run around the downtown area, and a lot of times, what will happen, I'll find people maybe getting off work or maybe coming this way that I can sort of help get this way. Then I'll go after some areas where guys are maybe remote and then I'll try to get those in as well."

Last winter, a homeless man died outside a church in East Nashville in below-freezing temperatures.

James Fulmer couldn't get to the nearby shelter. He was on crutches.

Grimes said Fulmer's death was an even-greater call to action.

"This is a life-saving effort," said Grimes. "There is an untold story behind us bringing men and women out of the cold, and that is for those that we do perhaps we save a life."

Taconda Bush is one of those whose life has been changed by the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Street life is not far from Bush's memory.

"A lot of times, you just fall on bad luck, make (a) bad decision, but it doesn't mean they're a bad person. It's just they haven't gotten back on their feet," said Bush.

When Grimes stopped by an area where the homeless are known to camp, he found no one.

Grimes said this is early for him to go out on the cold patrol. Usually they don't have to head out until December.

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